Constant scolding fires up UST's Santos in career Game 2 performance

MANILA, Philippines -- As the Bible verse goes, iron sharpens iron.

Brigette Santos turned the harsh words and reminders of coach Haydee Ong as fuel to lead the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigresses to a winner-take-all Game 3 in the UAAP Season 87 women’s basketball tournament Wednesday afternoon.

UST blasted off in the fourth quarter to grab the 78-68 Game 2 win.

Santos erupted against NU, finishing with a career-high 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting.

After the game, Santos said that the criticisms she received from Ong during training – usually on focus – brought out her "A" game on Wednesday.

“Every training kasi naiiyak na ko kasi si Coach Haydee lagi akong pinapagalitan, bakit ba lagi ako pinapagalitan ni Coach? Sinasabi niya sakin na ‘Onse, wala ka na naman sa focus!’ pag ganon, naiiyak na ko kasi nasa focus naman ako,” she told reporters.

“Doon ko nahugot yung lakas ng loob ko na makipagsabayan sa kanila kasi nga si coach, hindi talaga siya tumigil na maniwala sa akin. Though, ako na lang yung iniintay nila. So eto, sa tingin ko, eto na yung chance ko na maka-contribute talaga,” she added.

The guard revealed that the scoldings she is receiving, as well as how the team pushes each other during practice, all made sense.

“Si Coach Haydee kasi, parang mother ko na rin talaga yan. Sa lahat naman, parang mother talaga namin si Coach Haydee. So kapag napagalitan kami, nagdadamdam talaga… napagalitan na naman ganiyan. Pero hindi namin tine-take yun as personal. Pag sa court lang,” she told reporters.

“So, kinausap niya ako kagabi, chinat niya ako. 'Mag-focus ka lang, walang makakabantay sa iyo. Kaya mo, maniwala ka lang sa sarili mo. Basta mag-focus ka lang, lumaban ka.’ Na-realize ko na ah, nage-gets ko kung bakit ganito sa akin si coach, bakit ganito yung teammates ko sa akin na pinupukpok ako. Every mali ko, papagalitan ako. Kasi, I can do more,” she added.

At the end of eliminations, Santos averaged 7.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.6 steals per contest.

But in the three Final Four games thus far, she has scored in double digits in each of the contests. She scored 10 points against the Adamson Lady Falcons and 12 in Game 1 before her 27 in the do-or-die Game 2.

And despite the increased numbers, Santos underscored that it will still take the entire team so they could retain their women’s basketball title.

“Feeling ko didikitan na ako ng NU [on Game 3] e. Like, alam nila na capable pala ako sa ganun,” she said.

“Kailangan talaga na mag-step up yung mga iba. From sa bench, magtulungan talaga kami.”

For her part, Ong underscored that she is hard on Santos because she has “not seen her full potential yet.”

“Very happy ako kasi sabi ko nga sa kanya throughout the season, 'di ko pa nakikita yung full potential niya talaga. Brigette came in sa akin, she's very athletic, taas tumalon, may 3-point, kumpleto talaga,” she said.

“Parang nahihiya pag naglalaro, but today, pinakita niya sakin na, coach, tama sinasabi mo na unstoppable ako ngayon.”

Aside from Santos, rookie Karylle Sierba chipped in 18 points for UST, while Mythical Five member Kent Pastrana produced 11 for the Tigresses.

Game 3 will be on Sunday, 1 p.m., at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.